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Grades FAQ

All required Core and Elective courses for the degree must be taken for a letter grade. Students must obtain a “B” or better in courses taken for the degree. If you receive a “B-” or lower in a Core or Elective class, or you take it on S/U grading, it does not fulfill your requirements. If you receive a “D” or “F”, you may be able to repeat the class, but UCSD does not allow you to repeat a class in which you have a “C-” or better.

Low grade in an elective

To make up for a “B-” or lower grade in an elective:
The class with a “B-” or lower grade will not count towards your elective requirement. You will need to take another approved elective and receive at least a “B” grade. If you were taking the elective to satisfy one of the required elective areas, then choose within that elective area.

Low grade in a core class

To make up for a “B-” or lower grade in a core class:

You will need to take an approved additional graduate course and receive at least a “B” grade.

The make-up course cannot be double-counted for two purposes, such as making up for two core classes or making up for a core class and also counting as an elective or as a fourth core class option.

Please choose from the list of pre-approved make-up classes below, or submit a petition in advance to propose an alternative class. You do not need to petition to use one of the pre-approved options.

Make-up classes should have substantial overlap with the core class. Typically the classes will be aimed at graduate students in other disciplines, and may have a different emphasis and a different selection of topics or applications.

Some of these classes have prerequisites or enrollment restrictions. You will need to check if you have the prerequisites, and you may need to contact the course instructor or their department to clear prerequisites or enrollment restrictions. The Curriculum Committee does not have authority to do this.

These are not approved as substitutions in lieu of taking the core classes. They are only approved as make-up classes if you receive a grade of “B-” or lower in the required core class.

The quarters in which classes are offered may vary each year. Many departments post planned course schedules for the full school year in advance; check this when planning your schedule.

Low grade in BENG 202 / CSE 282

The following are approved to make up for a “B-” or lower grade in the core class BENG 202 / CSE 282:

Low grade in BNFO 285

The following are approved to make up for a “B-” or lower grade in the core class BNFO 285:

BNFO 285 has been replaced by a list of “fourth core class” options. You may use any of the fourth core class options for your track, or these other make-up classes that were previously approved.

CSE 254. Statistical Learning. (Usually offered in Winter.)

CSE 255. Data Mining and Predictive Analytics.

Math 287D. Statistical Learning. (Usually every other year.)

CSE 250A. Principles of Artificial Intelligence: Probabilistic Reasoning and Learning. (Usually offered in Fall.)
or either follow-up course CSE 250B,C. Please be aware that CSE 250B,C requires CSE 250A as a prerequisite. If you wish to take CSE 250B,C, it is your responsibility to clear the prerequisite(s). Contact the course instructor or department; the BISB Curriculum Committee does not have authority to clear the prerequisites.

ECE 208. Computational Evolutionary Biology.

Another option:

COGS 185. Advanced Machine Learning Methods.
This is not pre-approved since it is an undergraduate class, but it may be suitable in some cases. You will need to petition the Curriculum Committee in advance to use it.

Low grade in MED 264

​No make-up classes have been approved yet to make up for a “B-” or lower grade in the BMI-track core class MED 264. You will need to submit a petition to the Curriculum Committee with proposed make-up classes.

Low grade in one of the “Fourth Core Classes”

To make up for a “B-” or lower grade in a fourth core class:
The class with a “B-” or lower grade will not count towards your Fourth Core Class requirement. You will need to take another approved Fourth Core Class option for your track and receive at least a “B” grade.

“U” grade in seminars or ethics

To make up for a “U” grade in a seminar (BNFO 281, BNFO 283, or MED 262) or ethics class (SOMI 226 or BIOM 219), repeat the class an additional quarter and get an “S” grade.